Over the decades we’ve been plied with environmental slogans, every one desperately urging you to ‘Go Green!’ or to ‘Save the trees!’, but with the sheer volume of awareness campaigns, people have developed the curious ability to be totally unaware. We’re so used to having people with pamphlets and green dustbins knock on our doors, imparting wisdom about segregation of waste, with false promises of follow-up and meetings that a blissful level of indifference has been spawned.
‘My Green Bin’ promoted by Green Environ, an NGO that took over the premises of the Khozikode Corporation this Monday intends to stray away from the stereotype. A board member of Green Environ, Mr. Pramod Mannadath confessed that previous waste management schemes were all subsidised by the government, and were fully supported by local bodies. However once the support is removed, the undertaking falls flat, he said, revealing that ‘My Green Bin’ is not subsidised and shall be sold at its actual costs.
He also told the Hindu that “Waste management projects should be taken care of the same way you take care of an electronic device at home. But people have a lackadaisical attitude about them when they get it free of cost. If you pay for it, you will care for it,”. A sustainable initiative taken by Greenrich Glow India, a Chennai based organization, My Green Bin is made out of fibre that composts organic waste using the help of microbes. Having the capacity to hold garbage for 80 days, the fibre bins alternate as a sinkhole, claiming to compost anything from fruit waste to chicken feathers and human hair.
With usage of up to 10 years, the bin converts waste into dry manure. Accompanied by a tank placed at the bottom of the structure, the liquid waste gets accumulated ensuring no foul smells! Customizing the green bins on a need based requirement for small households, flats, large complexes and shops, they are sold in different sizes that vary from a range of INR 2,950 to INR 2 Lakhs.
The NGO is in the process of creating a novel method to recycle waste, has also created a continuous cycle of using the waste output seeing that the liquid residue can be used as a toilet cleaner and pesticide. Pramod also added that “We collect the manure and compost tea at the rate of ₹2 and ₹10 per litre respectively. It has a great market,”. In a world full of new schemes and ideas to save the earth, this is one that has established itself as sustainable and effective, a combination that will hopefully win a place in every Indian home.